1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for manufacturing glass optical elements such as lenses, prisms, and mirrors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a method for manufacturing a glass optical element has been known wherein, in a molding room, a glass material is softened via heating, molded via pressurization, and solidified via cooling. It is known that, in the manufacturing of a glass optical element, a manufacturing apparatus is used that transports a mold set for accommodating a glass material to a heating stage, a pressurizing stage, and a cooling stage. It is also known that a manufacturing apparatus is used that transports a glass material to a space between a pair of molds located within an apparatus, where the glass material is heated, pressurized, and cooled.
For the aforementioned methods for manufacturing a glass optical element, a method is known for supplying an inert gas into a molding room to prevent deterioration that would be caused by oxidation of, for example, a mold set (see, for example, patent documents 1-5).
Methods for supplying an inert gas into a molding room include: a method wherein a new inert gas is always supplied into the molding room (i.e., inert gases are not circulated for reuse); and a method wherein an inert gas is circulated within a molding room and a catalyst chamber and is then supplied into the molding room.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2008-297156
Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2009-96676
Patent Document 3: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2008-120645
Patent Document 4: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2006-143546
Patent Document 5: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 61-151028